HomeEscalator safety
Travelling on an escalator only takes seconds but, if they aren't used safely, they can cause serious injury.Common injuries include trips, falls, people becoming tangled in machinery and accidents involving prams. Seniors and the very young are most at risk.
Follow these tips to help you stay safe:
- always supervise young children
- always hold onto the handrail
- check for loose or dangling items of clothing before stepping onto the escalator - long or untied shoelaces, high heels and drawstrings can become trapped in the machinery
- lift toddlers on and off the escalator steps
- keep your feet planted firmly on each step as footwear with soft rubber soles can slip into cracks between the steps or the side of the escalator
- always use a lift when shopping with a pram as it is very dangerous to use a pushchair on an escalator. The steps aren't wide enough to accommodate pram wheels and they can also block your view of the top or bottom of the escalator, increasing the risk of an accident.
- if you or your child tumbles or gets caught in an escalator, use the emergency stop
buttons, usually located at the top and bottom of the steps.
